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It has been said by many, that our Board is an old boy’s network, and the process of getting on is not democratic. Let’s address these points:
The “old boy’s” title has in the past been true in a sense, as some members stayed on for many years, and we never have had term limits, although each term is three years, and you need to get voted back in each term. President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer need to be elected or reconfirmed each year. Long serving “old boys” have for the most part either retired or have been replaced by newer members, so the face of the board is changing. The average age has dropped by a decade during the past couple of years. Term limits have been discussed by a few of us, and I would bet that one will come down the pipe one of these days. I am leaving the board at the end of the year myself, and one of the main reasons is to open up a slot for some new blood. I believe in change, as long as it’s good.
Currently the board consists of 15 members, including the president. There are 13 Americans from every corner of the nation, one Englishman, and one Canadian. We come from all walks of life and economic backgrounds. Some of us are a bit rough around the edges, and some of us are a bit more polished. In other words, we represent a pretty good cross section of AMCA members. Most of us are either retired or self employed, which makes doing the job a lot easier. The one exception is Dennis Craig, who works at a parts counter in an automatic transmission parts supply house. Anyone with a day job like Dennis might want to talk to him about red eye airplane rides and driving all night before you decide you wish to join us, but he has proven it’s possible to do, as he never misses a meeting.
Getting on the board is like applying for a job. You need to apply in writing, and talk to the board members. They need to be convinced that you are the right person for the job. There are no guarantees, but there are no guarantees in open elections either.
Consider this. If you can’t sell yourself to 15 fellow members who are a typical cross section, how will you sell yourself to 12,000? It is basically the same thing, but much simpler, and it has served us well for 54 years.
Pete Gagan
The “old boy’s” title has in the past been true in a sense, as some members stayed on for many years, and we never have had term limits, although each term is three years, and you need to get voted back in each term. President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer need to be elected or reconfirmed each year. Long serving “old boys” have for the most part either retired or have been replaced by newer members, so the face of the board is changing. The average age has dropped by a decade during the past couple of years. Term limits have been discussed by a few of us, and I would bet that one will come down the pipe one of these days. I am leaving the board at the end of the year myself, and one of the main reasons is to open up a slot for some new blood. I believe in change, as long as it’s good.
Currently the board consists of 15 members, including the president. There are 13 Americans from every corner of the nation, one Englishman, and one Canadian. We come from all walks of life and economic backgrounds. Some of us are a bit rough around the edges, and some of us are a bit more polished. In other words, we represent a pretty good cross section of AMCA members. Most of us are either retired or self employed, which makes doing the job a lot easier. The one exception is Dennis Craig, who works at a parts counter in an automatic transmission parts supply house. Anyone with a day job like Dennis might want to talk to him about red eye airplane rides and driving all night before you decide you wish to join us, but he has proven it’s possible to do, as he never misses a meeting.
Getting on the board is like applying for a job. You need to apply in writing, and talk to the board members. They need to be convinced that you are the right person for the job. There are no guarantees, but there are no guarantees in open elections either.
Consider this. If you can’t sell yourself to 15 fellow members who are a typical cross section, how will you sell yourself to 12,000? It is basically the same thing, but much simpler, and it has served us well for 54 years.
Pete Gagan
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